Face the Nation Interview – 12 November 2024
https://youtu.be/yr593l7apNI
Graceful concession: Small Botswana offers lessons to giant US
A panel beat of Shakespeare to fit modern elections, referencing last week's graceful presidential concession in Botswana, would read, "Nothing in his political life became him like leaving it." We live in a rough political neighbourhood with stolen elections in Zimbabwe now normalised, violent killings recently visited on the opposition in Mozambique, and a feudal [...]
The key political question on Simelane and Motsoaledi: ‘do I contradict myself?’
Every day, in the choices we make or don't select, we display a degree of dualism or opposing ideas jostling for our attention and selection. Poetically, Walt Whitman's 1892 epic poem on the human condition, "Song of Myself", summed this up neatly: "Do I contradict myself?/Very well then I contradict myself,/ (I am large, I [...]
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eNCA – 29 Days in June. Aired Sunday 25th August at 8pm GalleryeNCA – 29 Days in June. Aired Sunday 25th August at 8pm
African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, EFF, Elections, GNU, Helen Zille, IFP, Jacob Zuma, John Steenhuisen, Julius Malema, MK, South African Politics, Uncategorized
eNCA – 29 Days in June. Aired Sunday 25th August at 8pm
For 29 days in June, South Africa was gripped by a political drama. eNCA goes behind closed doors to uncover the make-or-break moments that forged the government of national unity. https://www.enca.com/shows/29-days-june-annika-larsen-special-report
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From Trump’s GOP to South Africa’s EFF: how the populists are not that popular GalleryFrom Trump’s GOP to South Africa’s EFF: how the populists are not that popular
African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Donald Trump, EFF, Elections, GNU, International Politics, Jacob Zuma, Julius Malema, MK, South African Politics, World Politics
From Trump’s GOP to South Africa’s EFF: how the populists are not that popular
When Donald J Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president on 20 January 2017, he delivered a dystopian speech on the state of his nation, summarised as "American Carnage". Leaving that event, George W Bush, the 43rd president and last Republican to hold that office before Trump, remarked on his successor's oration: "That was some weird s..t." [...]
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The rights and wrongs of measuring cabinet performance – and some unsolicited advice GalleryThe rights and wrongs of measuring cabinet performance – and some unsolicited advice
African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Elections, GNU, Opinion, South African Politics
The rights and wrongs of measuring cabinet performance – and some unsolicited advice
I hope that the new government of national unity (GNU) both endures and delivers real change in the lives of many citizens. As one Cabinet minister expressed to me recently, the answer to estimates on its longevity is summed up in the acronym TINA (there is no alternative). Of course, his sentiment is sound, even [...]
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Venezuela: A cautionary reflection of South Africa’s potential path GalleryVenezuela: A cautionary reflection of South Africa’s potential path
African National Congress (ANC), Ambassador to Argentina, Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Elections, GNU, International Politics, South African Politics, Vladimir Putin, World Politics
Venezuela: A cautionary reflection of South Africa’s potential path
Consider an alternate history written for the 29 May elections in South Africa. As a work of historical fiction – based on real characters and actual events – it could include these "facts": The DA leader, the largest opposition party, is banned from participating in the poll; the ANC, the governing party, is accorded unfettered [...]
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SA undertakes critical mission in Washington amid US’ distracted political landscape GallerySA undertakes critical mission in Washington amid US’ distracted political landscape
African National Congress (ANC), American Politics, Biden, Elections, International Politics, Israel, South African Politics, Trump, World Politics
SA undertakes critical mission in Washington amid US’ distracted political landscape
Timing in life and politics is everything. So, spare a thought for new Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau. He arrived on Tuesday in Washington DC, as head of a government-business delegation seeking to engage Congress and the White House on retaining our Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) privileges and mitigating the fallout from [...]
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Can Ramaphosa’s multiparty govt revive South Africa’s stature in global affairs? GalleryCan Ramaphosa’s multiparty govt revive South Africa’s stature in global affairs?
African National Congress (ANC), American Politics, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Donald Trump, Elections, International Politics, South African Politics, US elections, World Politics
Can Ramaphosa’s multiparty govt revive South Africa’s stature in global affairs?
On Thursday evening, many South Africans will tune in to Cyril Ramaphosa's opening address to Parliament on behalf of his newly installed multiparty government. But few in the world will take notice. This is not just because Sygnia CEO Magda Wierzycka, no doubt accurately, opined recently that "South Africa has become irrelevant in terms of [...]
SA enters a Kafkaesque era of opposition leadership in Parliament
The 1996 Constitution formalised the office and role of the leader of the opposition. Section 57(1)(d) of the Constitution obliges the National Assembly to recognise "the leader of the largest opposition party in the Assembly as the Leader of the Opposition". The first holder of the post was also the briefest occupant of the office: [...]